Cubanisms #1

As part of my Topeka experience, I want to introduce you to all things Cuban. Like any culture, Cubans have a lot of sayings that when literally translated into English make no sense at all, but do not dismay. I will give you the literal translation, only for the fun value, and I will explain the meaning, too.

*Lit: means literal

*Trans: translation

"Por si las moscas"

Lit: In case of the flies

Trans: Just in case

"Me importa tres pepinos"

Lit: I care three cucumbers

Trans: I don't care at all

"Le pusiste la tapa al pomo"

Lit: You put the lid on the jar

Trans: You really messed up this time!

"Tu no pintas nada"

Lit: You don't paint anything

Trans: This doesn't concern you

"Es un arroz con mango"

Lit: It's rice with mango

Trans: It's complicated

"Tener un chino atras"

Lit: A chinese man behind you

Trans: You have bad luck

"Comiendose un cable"

Lit: Eating a cable

Trans: Going through difficult times

Well, that's it for today's Cubanisms class, but I plan to make it a weekly thing until I run out of sayings, so keep checking often!

I work among many Cubans in Hialeah who've told me that "comiendose un cable" is typically used to describe someone who's "falling for a line of bullshit" and that going through a difficult time is actually described as "tremenda mecha que le cayó arriba"